Acts: Christ Builds His Church Series

Intro:

AG: Exerpt from Billy Graham 1955 sermon:

The story of “The Chess Master and the Painting”

“There is a picture of a chess game hanging in Paris. On one side of the painting is the Devil, and on the other side is a lad about sixteen years of age. They are playing chess. The Devil has a leering, triumphant expression on his face. He has just licked this boy at chess, and the boy is sitting there with his head bowed and big tears trickling down his cheeks. The Devil has just won in the game of life over this lad. He has no strength, he has no way out, and he has given up. The title of the picture is "Check Mate". He had him.

A famous chess player came through one day. He looked at the painting. He felt sorry for the boy and he hated the looks of the Devil.

He began to study the board where the men were placed, and all of a sudden he shouted: "Son, I have found a move, one move . . . if you will make that move you can lick the Devil." He forgot himself, he forgot it was a painting-he was so engrossed in it.

We see all the men of chess in the game of life there, and in some of our lives it seems the Devil has almost got us. We look at the whole world picture ... it seems dark at times with its little bright intervals, but by and large the basic issues have not changed, ... and, as we look into the future of the next two or three generations, it seems that we are almost ready to say "Check Mate."

But I believe there is One looking down from above who looks upon the board and says to you and me: There is a move, there is one move that you can make, and you can win! That move is toward Jesus Christ. You can make that move today in your own souls.”

http://www.one-more-move-chess-art.com/Billy-Graham-Edited-Sermon.html

Jesus set an amazing movement into motion during His lifetime. He envisioned and formed the local church. That church and the churches birthed from her efforts has been handed down to our own church today. Through the churches He built, He is still beating the Devil!

TS: Intro Acts

Intro Series- Today, we begin a new series. We are going to go through the book of Acts and watch as the events unfold as Christ builds His church and they plant new churches around the world.

As Luke makes clear in the prologue to his gospel, he wrote to give Theophilus (and the others who would read his work) a

Luke 1:1–3 NKJV

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,

Luke approached this as a scholar.

Accordingly, Luke’s gospel records those momentous events “in consecutive order” (Lk 1:3). Acts continues that record, noting what Jesus accomplished through the early church. Beginning with Jesus’ ascension, through the baptism of the Spirit of the church on the Day of Pentecost, to Paul’s preaching at Rome, Acts chronicles the spread of the gospel and the planting of churches to the ends of the earth.

RS: The is much we can learn through a study of the work of God as the church at Jerusalem grew and planted churches.

As we see how they served and lived, we can find traits we should apply in our lives and church.

Acts 1:1–3 NKJV The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

1) Luke Introduced the Book

Addressed:

To Theophilus

Former Account Gospel of Luke

Includes what Jesus did (His actions)

Miracles, love, compassion

Ultimately He Showed them the Father

John 14:8–11 NKJV Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen

Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the